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So Gary Ross Might Be Working On The VENOM Movie, But It May Have To Wait A While...

Published at:  Oct 13, 2009 1:11:13 PM CDT


Merrick here...



Last week, we learned that Gary Ross was writing and maybe directing a movie based on VENOM (details HERE).

Now comes word, from The Playlist, that Ross's VENOM involvement may be impacted by his attachment to another project: a re-introduction/revitalization of MATT HELM.

...a source close to the project tells us a new director has his hands on the project — none other than Gary Ross, writer-director of "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit," who was recently attached to writing and potentially directing the Sony "Spider-Man" spin-off "Venom" (he had something to do with the "Spider-Man 4" script, too). But this source notes, "Venom" is a ways off and will have to wait, "Matt Helm," is coming first and is being scheduled to shoot in the summer of 2010 if all goes according to plan.


...reveals THIS ARTICLE at The Playlist.


In case you're not familiar with the Matt Helm character, A WIKI ENTRY describes him thusly:

The character appeared in 27 books over a 33-year period beginning in 1960 and established Helm as one of the most tough-minded, pragmatic, and competent of all fictional agents, whatever their roles. The series was noted for its between-books continuity, which was somewhat rare for the genre. In the later books, Helm's origins as a man of action in World War II disappeared and he became an apparently ageless character, a common fate of long-running fictional heroes."


Dean Martin played Helm in a series of not-particularly-faithful movie adaptations back in the 60s. Tony Franciosa portrayed the character in an equally unfaithful (and mercifully short-lived) 1975 TV series.

Matt Helm films & books can still be found via Amazon (HERE), and some of those Dean Martin movies are apparently available in their entirety via YouTube if you're interested.








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    Readers Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:11:47 PM CDT

    Watch Mad Men

    by crow3711

    Thought I'd use my first for a shameless plug.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:13:21 PM CDT

    They're making Venom an "anti-hero".. damn it.

    by gravitysrainbow

    You know, it's possible to center a movie around a villain.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:15:41 PM CDT

    Venom is getting a movie??

    by darth_fuck_shit

    Slayer, King Diamond, and Hellhammer must be green with envy.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:16:27 PM CDT

    Are they going to kill him off...

    by veebeeyes

    after 10 minutes?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:18:41 PM CDT

    Haters pissed and moaned

    by powerring

    That green lantern didn't have enough of a following. But how many people know about Venom really? And how many are so into him he could carry a movie? About as many that knew about blade before the movie. I am not holding my breath for this one.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:24:12 PM CDT

    Damn, my brain registered "Alex Ross"...

    by royston lodge

    ... and I started to get really excited.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:32:51 PM CDT

    one question how are they going to make a venom movie?

    by professor_bedlam

    Ok didn't he die in oh lets say spiderman 3 which he shouldn't of but he did so what the hell!?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:37:49 PM CDT

    i thought spielberg was "doing" MATT HELM???

    by six demon bag

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:38:09 PM CDT

    AintitYESTERDAYSnews!

    by judge briggs

    Geez, you guys are slow on these scoops.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:39:23 PM CDT

    As far as Venom having died in SM3

    by alec.eiffel

    Eddie Brock died, that doesn't mean Venom did. The symbiote will probably just be attached to someone else. I can't imagine Topher Grace is going to do this movie, anyway.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:40:51 PM CDT

    PowerRing..

    by gravitysrainbow

    I always see someone wearing a Venom teeshirt (the white spider on black). Also, the amount of people into him don't necessitate as to whether or not he can carry a movie. I would agree, though, this is one to be cautious about.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:41:07 PM CDT

    Is Gary Ross trying to take on more work than Bryan Singer?

    by yackbacker

    Are these the only 2 guys working in Hollywood? Where'd everybody else go?!

    Reply to Talkback

  • I love the character in the comics. Always have since his very first appearance. But given his treatment in Spidey 3 I'm not full of confidence. The character himself also doesn't lend himself to a movie.
    He's basically a mirror image of Spidey. How do you make that work in a movie, especially one with no Spidey in it? Well, you change him around. And if you're gonna change him all around....WHY BOTHER!?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:45:28 PM CDT

    Let's hope VENOM waits a long, long while...

    by spyguy

    Venom was cool for the three months that his storyline ran in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #298-300. After that, he became the perfect example of why comics mostly sucked in the 1990s.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:46:13 PM CDT

    Aint-It-Too-Soon-News

    by iamlegolas

    how many in-development projects (that get put on the backburner or outright canceled) do we have to hear about?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 1:47:16 PM CDT

    no subject

    by alec.eiffel

    Spawn was a better example of that, but point well taken. Damn that McFarlane.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:01:59 PM CDT

    Who cares if Venom dies in SM3.

    by royston lodge

    The Joker died in Batman (1989).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:07:33 PM CDT

    so, its a bond rip off.

    by obscura

    and it may save us from a venom movie? The lesser of two evils has won I think.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:24:45 PM CDT

    Would have rather

    by jack_mort

    Seen Venom done right in Spidey 3 than see him get his own movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:26:42 PM CDT

    black people

    by menstrual_bloodfart

    Since the 21st century and 9/11 started the liberals have been at work to try and get Jesus off the public eye. Even 5 years ago when Mel Gibson was at work making THE PASSION the liberal press was at work giving the movie bad press. And then last year before it's release we get books from liberals that Jesus was gay, and another book that he had a wife and of course THE DEVINCI CODE. But the liberals failed since THE PASSION went on to blockbuster status. And no matter how much they try in the end as it's written Jesus rules.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:27:19 PM CDT

    So a Venom movie means Carnage in one of the Spider-man movies..

    by spectrebeeyatch

    The way they are bringing up how Venom is a part of Spidey 4 makes me think of a couple things: First off a piece of the symbiote is with Dr. Conors. Remember he kept a piece. Either they bring up Carnage in some way OR when Conors turns into the Lizard the symbiote escapes. This is what I believe and that piece goes find a new host and makes a new Venom who goes on to fight Carnage.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:42:10 PM CDT

    I don't say this too often...

    by hapapapa72

    But YAAAAAAAAAWWWWWNNNNN.

    A movie with Venom but without Spiderman? Isn't that like buying, oh, say a Jedi cape without the jedi in it??? Will some collector ACTUALLY buy these?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 2:49:52 PM CDT

    Make Venom like this:

    by ominus

    he is a black guy but the symbiont is white,so when they merge they become Venom but the white edition: a black spider logo on a white organic suit.and the movie will explore the racism in the world of super-heroes.how a black man turned into a white super powered being is accepted by the general public? do they consider him good? bad? does colour has any kind of connection with becoming super-hero or super-villain and so on.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:12:04 PM CDT

    Super Hero movies aren

    by stvnhthr

    Pleasantville was a terrible movie. Horrible. Tripe. I hope Glenn has continued to improve, Sea Biscuit wasn't bad. It wasn't great, but it was watchable.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:12:46 PM CDT

    Super Hero Movies Aren't Easy to Do

    by stvnhthr

    Not everyone should make one

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:33:58 PM CDT

    Do it 18 years in the future, May Parker. Spidey's Daughter.

    by the green gargantua

    Bonded with Venom. Like in Earth X, just seems like a higher concept and a chance to really geek out.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:37:01 PM CDT

    darth_fuck_shit: Bathory is pretty fucking pissed as well

    by the green gargantua

    just sayin.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:41:31 PM CDT

    Fuck Venom and make Old Man Logan into

    by ominus

    a comic movie.Wolverine as it should be and it even has a Venom/T-Rex.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:44:09 PM CDT

    Menstrual_Bloodfart: The fuck are you talking about Jesus for?

    by the green gargantua

    Your book is cool as myth, but full of contradictions and by no means a guide to life or the word of an existing super being. Jesus was a persecuted witch and his story has taught me to roll with a harder crew instead of a bunch of pussys and a whore.

    AVE KAOS

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 3:56:40 PM CDT

    Green

    by alec.eiffel

    I wouldn't take what that guy has to say about Jesus seriously, his name is Darth_Bloodfart. He's trying to get you to respond. That's all.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 4:01:18 PM CDT

    Can we have a sequel

    by henrydalton

    called 'VENOMY TOO'?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:04:39 PM CDT

    Eddie Brock Jr's dead, symobite goo lives forever

    by tall_boy66

    Which is a shame, because I must be the only person on the planet who liked Topher Grace as Eddie Brock (he was just such an cocky yet pathetic asshole), but if they're gonna go with another host, do up Mac Gargan

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:13:07 PM CDT

    Who are the ad wizards...

    by wampa 1

    ...that came up with this one?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:15:49 PM CDT

    ominus- they have a black-on-white Venom already

    by thesecondquest

    The comics recently had Brock become Anti-Venom (who "heals" impurities like symbiotes and radioactive blood), a black-on-white Venom design. http://tinyurl.com/yhreb4u

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:25:08 PM CDT

    Money...it's almost Venom...backwards

    by future help

    just sayin'

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:46:00 PM CDT

    Carnage better be in it.

    by galactic

    And Cletus played by Carrot-top.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 5:55:51 PM CDT

    Someone else will direct it, then

    by larry sellers

    Not that it matters. I mean...how is it a good idea to give a villain his own film when he was barely in the 3rd film and didn't really make an impression on the audience? This sounds like the type of film to be padded out with a horrible "hard rock" score, a poorly conceived love story, and a PG-13 rating. There's no point to it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:04:16 PM CDT

    THE EXPENDIBLES PROMO TRAILER IS OUT.

    by pennsydeux

    http://tinyurl.com/ylslnuc

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:16:39 PM CDT

    I'd rather see an Aunt May spinoff...

    by logan_1973

    Seriously. No one is going to make a Venom movie that would keep the rabid comic-fans happy.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:25:14 PM CDT

    might as well ressurect Kommissar X, The Monocle, Agent 077

    by takingscorpioscalls

    and all the other 60s Bond knockoffs too since everyone since the 60s is apprarently in fashion nowadays, alongside the 80s revival. wow weidr times.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:27:46 PM CDT

    PennsyDeux

    by henrydalton

    That was a really odd promo trailer. I was really stoked to see that film but that promo didn't blow me away like I was hoping.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:30:18 PM CDT

    Brock doesn't have to be dead...

    by chewtoy

    He was vaporized by a pumpkin bomb? After Harry had one go off in his face and just had some scarring? All we saw was a bright flash of light and fire, Spider-man turned away, and when he turned back Brock and the Symbiote were gone. See for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR4zAc_0sJU&feature=player_embedded
    In comics, that's totally not a death. You want Venom to have survived? You just need someone to have covered his escape. Mysterio for instance. Or Madame Web pulled him out of there. Or hell, the main mass of the symbiote threw Eddie and bits of itself clear on the opposite side of the explosion.
    None of that changes the fact that I think a Venom spin-off is a bad idea... but still, I'm amazed at the number of people who think Brock can't possibly return. I wouldn't even have been surprised to see he survived in Spider-man 4.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 6:58:10 PM CDT

    I want Tom Hanks in Matt Helm . . .

    by nice marmot

    . . . but he has to do it with his Dean Martin impersonation.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 7:27:17 PM CDT

    Has anyone ever written a good Carnage story?

    by blakindigo

    The concept is cool. But, the comics that I read back in the day were pure rubbish.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 8:33:10 PM CDT

    SO sick of this Venom shit..

    by tomcruise1

    I don't give a crap. Bring on Expendables and Wichita/Knight and Day. http://sickpicks.blogspot.com/

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 13, 2009 8:51:23 PM CDT

    getting the guy who did Seabiscuit to do this=

    by meadowe

    Tobey may be in this, and also Them TRYING TO BE doing the equivalent of Christopher Nolan to do batman.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 14, 2009 12:03:48 AM CDT

    Yeah, Brock is dead.

    by veebeeyes

    You could see his fucking skeleton when the bomb went off. Generally speaking, when something explodes next to you and then bystanders can see your skeleton, you're fucking dead.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 14, 2009 12:12:47 AM CDT

    But even though I don't even really like Venom...

    by veebeeyes

    Spider-Man 3 still pissed me off. Jesus, it took 2 hours for Venom to even appear, then they killed him off after 10 minutes. That's lame as hell. I never much cared for the character, but that's not the point. If you're gonna put a villain in a movie, don't give him jack shit to do, and then immediately kill him off so that he can't ever appear in any other movies. If you're gonna do that, why put the character in the movie at all? But I guess that's just an extension of one of my pet peeves about the Spider-Man movies...every villain must die. Jesus, at least the X-Men movies had villains getting sent to prison. Or just plain escaping. We might never see them again, but that's still better than killing off everyone who causes trouble. And in the case of Spider-Man, when the villain gets away (Sandman), it's fucking retarded. He suddenly starts crying, and then Spider-Man lets him go. What the fuck is up with that shit? Anyway, I've digressed. But here's my point. If you're only going to have a villain in a movie for 10 fucking minutes before killing him off, then what the fuck was the point of having him in the movie in the first place? Jesus. At least let the villain live, or substitute a villain that absolutely everybody fucking hates and WANTS to see get killed off immediately.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 14, 2009 12:05:43 PM CDT

    Bring back Howard The Duck

    by faust_8

    now that's professional

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 14, 2009 6:49:35 PM CDT

    Just let Venom R.I.P.

    by violator90

    It’s obvious that Venom was used very poorly and we fans have voiced our utter disgust on how he was played, but the fact that the studio wants to use Spidey 3 as the launching for a Venom movie is down right stupid. No one wants a Venom movie at this point. Maybe in a few decades yes. Right now I want a reboot of X-Men, DareDevil and Ghost Rider. Then after those come out, THEN think about a POSSIBLE Venom movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 14, 2009 9:53:47 PM CDT

    Yea, about Venom dying in SM3...

    by cgih8r

    Fuck SM3. There's nothing wrong with putting that piece of crap in the junkyard and forgetting it ever happened. It's so tragic that the Venom vs Spiderman movie was never made, that would have brought in some MAD MONEY for the studio. They don't know what the hell they are doing.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Oct 15, 2009 6:00:55 PM CDT

    Dean Martin beats up Chuck Norris...

    by baryonyx

    ...in the 1968 Matt Helm movie The Wrecking Crew, a film which used Bruce Lee as a martial arts advisor.

    Reply to Talkback

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